Jasmin Grosinger, Associate Professor, Graz University of Technology, Austria, and Tohoku University, Japan
I AM...a Professor in Microwave Engineering
What made you want to work in this industry?
As a teenager, I read the book Contact by Carl Sagan; the book's heroine studied electrical engineering and was involved in the SETI research project. I was fascinated by their radio telescopes and their measurement capabilities, so I decided to study electrical engineering. During my Master's, I researched free-space optical systems through the atmosphere and decided I wanted more. So, I started to work towards a PhD, researching backscatter sensor systems at sub-1 GHz frequencies. Today, I am a permanent faculty member at Graz University and Technology, Austria, working on near-field communication systems and wireless power transfer at MHz and kHz frequencies.
The Microwave Theory and Technology Society covering MHz to THz (or, in my case, from THz to MHz/kHz) with its flagship conference, IMS, fits my profile perfectly. After almost ten years, MTT-S and IMS have become my professional home, and its members are part of my international family.
What is your favorite part of your job?
As a university professor, my favorite part is the diversity of tasks I have to do—teaching, research, project management, writing publications, and staying internationally connected. MTT-S and its flagship conference, IMS, play a significant role in this last part, allowing me to connect and work with other passionate volunteers from academia and industry. In particular, IMS helps academia and industry unite, exchange ideas, and advance technologies.
What are you most excited about for IMS2024?
We are organizing an MTT-S Future Directions Day on Wireless Power Technologies (WPT) at IMS2024 this year. These technologies were proposed in the late 19th century and are now gaining increasing momentum. We will highlight wireless power technologies for sustainable digitalization in a half-day boot camp on WPT, where representatives from industry and academia will give the attendees a heads-up on the details of the technology and business cases. We will also discuss WPT in a panel and special sessions with well-known experts in the field.